US Announces 10-Day Israel–Lebanon Ceasefire Amid Fragile Truce
A US-brokered 10-day ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon came into effect Friday, offering a potential pause in weeks of escalating violence driven by clashes between Israeli forces and the Iran-backed Hezbollah group.
US President Donald Trump confirmed the agreement after speaking with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, stating that both leaders had agreed to halt hostilities as part of broader efforts to stabilise the region. The ceasefire began at 5 p.m. EST.
Celebrations broke out in Beirut shortly after the truce took effect, with residents firing into the air. Despite official warnings, some displaced families began returning to southern Lebanon and Beirut’s southern suburbs to assess damage to their homes.
The agreement does not directly include Hezbollah, the militant group at the centre of the conflict. Israel clarified that while it would pause offensive operations, it retains the right to act against what it describes as imminent or ongoing threats. Hezbollah, in turn, signalled it would respond to any Israeli strikes, raising concerns about how long the truce will hold.
Netanyahu said Israel agreed to the ceasefire to advance diplomatic efforts but confirmed that Israeli troops would remain in a self-declared “security zone” extending roughly 10 kilometres into southern Lebanon. Hezbollah has rejected the continued presence, describing it as occupation and asserting Lebanon’s right to resist.
The deal follows intensive diplomacy led by the US, including talks in Washington between Israeli and Lebanese representatives and a series of high-level calls involving Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio. These discussions marked the first direct diplomatic engagement between Israel and Lebanon in decades.
Lebanon has maintained that a ceasefire is a prerequisite for any broader negotiations and has pledged to work toward disarming Hezbollah, a deeply contentious issue within the country.
Trump also announced plans to host both leaders at the White House for what he described as the first meaningful talks between Israel and Lebanon since 1983. That year, the two countries briefly reached an agreement involving mutual recognition and Israeli withdrawal, though it later collapsed during Lebanon’s civil war.
Regional dynamics continue to shape the situation. A Hezbollah official indicated the ceasefire was linked to wider negotiations involving Iran and the United States, with additional mediation efforts underway to sustain diplomatic momentum.
While the truce offers a temporary reprieve, its durability remains uncertain amid unresolved tensions on the ground.
